"If there was anything else I could have done... I would have" Rainbow lied. After a few minutes of silence Rainbow added "I wont let anything like this happen again... I-" she paused to lift Scootaloos face to meet hers "I'll make sure no one ever hurts you ever again" Rainbowdash was in tears as her and her favorite foal hugged, she was almost sad enough to have regretted what happened to D.

*

Eventually Cameron broke free from his stupor from the insistent poking sensation in his leg "Stop it!" he shouted

"Prometheus asked you a question" Octavia pointed over to the man that had turned back from walking away

"Oh, uhh, it'll take a few weeks I suppose, its hard to say" Cameron called to Prometheus who nodded and continued to walk toward the clinic

"Well looks like Colgate will be alright but she'll need some therapy later on down the road." Rarity nodded although she seemed distracted by something.

"Cameron I'm asking you for a favor when we leave would you mind carrying Colgate since I'll be carrying our supplies?" Dr. G asked. Cameron nodded. "I guess when Prometheus returns we can figure out a place to sleep because going out in the night isn't a good idea and besides we still need Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. If you'll excuse me for a minute I need to check something." Dr. G said and he headed off towards the medical tent. Dr. G stayed a safe distance but he could See and hear Dr. Soothing Needles and Prometheus talking. He hid quietly in an empty shelf and listened.

Brandon and Derpy walked to the house and entered into the former warzone. As they walked Derpy explained what happened in the TARDIS. "Wait. The Doctor is Starswirl the Bearded?"

"Yeah, That's time travel for ya." Derpy said. "Just don't tell Twilight. It would crush her to find out her hero is the same pony who has a book borrowed ten months past due from her library. Ironically it was a book written by Starswirl the Bearded."

"Wow." Brandon said dumbfounded. The two reached the stairs to the basement. "Well, after you." Brandon motioned down the dark stairway and followed Derpy down stairs.

* * * *

Dinky checked the wires of the raido. Although she wasn't an expert, she could tell they were all plugged into the right places. What worried Dinky was that Sweetie Belle had been quiet for a while. "Sweetie Belle, are you ok? You seem sad." Dinky observed.

Sweetie Belle sighed. "Not really." She looked at Dinky. "Apple Bloom has Apple Jack back and you have your mom, but my parents and sister are just gone!" She rested her head on the bench Brandon had placed next to the radio. "I want to be happy for Apple Bloom, but all I can think about is how alone I am." She sniffed a little. "Do you know what that feels like?"

* * *

"And all of these supplies are for the recovery of one pony?" Prometheus's voice was even, but it seemed colder then it had been though out most of the meeting.

"They are also extra's in case of accidents." Soothing Needles sounded dismissive as she carefully cataloged the meds. "None of the supplies are anything we do not have more then enough spares of and besides, I am sure you have a plan to bring them all back before the end."

Prometheus stepped forward and placed a hand on the back of the doctors neck and though he did not appear to apply any pressure, Soothing Needles froze in place. "Doctor, I have a community of close to sixty humans and ponies, all of whom require food and medical supplies if we are going to get though the winter without casualties." His metal clad fingers drummed along the doctors mane. "Not to mention that we are possibly looking at a way of reversing the most devastating event in the history of not one, but two worlds. So please," His hand suddenly clenched and Prometheus dropped to a knee to look Soothing Needles straight in the eye, "Don't try to second guess me."

Soothing Needles eyes widened, but her wings flared and he body tensed into an aggressive posture. "Get your hand off of me this instant or so help me, the next time you come into this tent I will make sure you never lay down and never awake up!"

Prometheus's face darkened, but he released the pony. "Even you usefulness has limits, doctor." He picked a bottle of pills from the bag and placed it back on the shelves. "You keep pushing me, safe in your position, but one day you will not be the only doctor on staff and that safety net will disrepair." He turned and marched out of the tent. "I have to arrange sleeping quarters for our guests."

Dr. G restrained himself from interrupting the tense discussion. He was angry that Prometheus would dare threaten her like that. He waited until Prometheus was gone then slipped out of his hiding spot and rushed over. "Hey you never told me he threatened you or tried to hurt you as well!" Dr. G said approaching Soothing Needles who was still tense and angry looking. Her posture softened and Dr. G instinctively moved forward to hug her. Surprisingly enough she let him.

Soothing Needles sighed, reluctantly returning the hug. "It was not something I was going to mention." shook her head. "The two of us have been fighting for almost as long as I have been here, but since shortly after his brother left he has gone form simple arguing to seeming genuinely angry." She looked at the sleeping Colgate. "Every mistake I make now, he see's as a sign of my sabotage. I would be more careful with him, but given how close we are to escaping, the idea of kowtowing to his bluster..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "But then aging, he never was so... direct in his threats before... I think something has changed."

"Hmmm well We will all be out of this mess soon. Do you need a hand with anything?" Dr. G asked softly.

She nodded and Dr. G helped her put the final touches on the decoy bag and made room for Dr. Soothing Needles. She even laid into the bag to show she had enough room. Dr. G felt the bag with Needles inside it.

"Not too heavy I think this plan will work. I should probably head back before Prometheus starts to wonder where I went. I'll come early in the morning to administer the drugs and help you into the bag ok?" Dr. G asked he took the vial of Fentanyl and Naloxene and patted Dr. Soothing Needle's mane. It was really soft.

"Don't worry you can trust me. I'm not like the people or ponies here I'm my own kind of person." Dr. G said petting her soft fur he blushed deeply coughed and then began to leave. "See you soon doctor." He said as he left. He walked back to the group just as Prometheus was arriving.

"Bathrooms are hard to find in this place. " He commented to the group and waited for Prometheus to speak.

"Indeed." Prometheus answered levelly. "We have rooms set up for all of you in the main house. It is well protected so you should be able to sleep without fear of attack." Left unsaid was the obvious implication that they would also be carefully watched in the head quarters. "In the morning you can all leave with food and supplies, along with your friends." He looked up. "Speaking of whom, Rainbow Dash will be allowed to sleep in Scootaloo's room this evening as she seems to be taking her time."

Dinky gave Sweetie Belle a smile. "I kinda know how you feel." Dinky said. "When I first came t the human world I was so scared. I couldn't find my momm any where. Then Ms. Cat found me and she and took care of me! I wasn't really alone, but she really feel the same as mommy. But I think you might beluckier than I was. You still have your friend Apple Bloom." Dinky Hugged Sweetie Belle. "And now you got me!"

Derpy and Brandon returned to the Barn with a first aid kit and some bottles of different ointments that seemed to be some sort of home remdey of sorts. "How's the radio working? " Brandon Asked.

"It look's good to me" Said Dinky.

"Good!" Said Brandon. Brandon Looked at the sky. "It's starting to get dark. I say we sleep in the barn tonight."

Apple Jack settled into a corner with Apple Bloom. Her good mood had somewhat died after talking to her sister for a little while. Apparently, the rest of her family had been less lucky then the two fillies.

Sweetie Belle watched the groups settling in and seemed put out as she hesitated looking at Apple Bloom and Apple Jack before turning back to Dinky and Derpy. "Um, Misses Hooves?" She asked, looking embarrassed. "Can I... Stay with you and Dinky tonight?"

Rarity settled into her room for the night it was odd having her own room to herself. It felt strangely empty. She drifted off into uneasy sleep. As she drifted off to sleep she decided to go and follow up on a visit she owed a certain detective. She cautiously slipped into Colgate's dream and searched for Detective MacReady's office.

Meanwhile Dr. G lied in the bed of the room next door and stared at the ceiling. "Well I guess this is really happening he muttered as he drifted off into sleep.

*Doc G's Dream*

Dr. G found himself in a cold cell he looked up bars filled the window and door. He seemed to be the only one in this prison. A loud buzz sounded and a guard clad in metallic armor gruffly shackled his feet and put on hand cuffs to G's hands."There must be some mistake I'm not a criminal!" Dr. G pleaded with the guard who was silent as he led G down a dark corridor. He could hear the sounds of ponies and humans clanging on the bars and spitting at him. He was brought into a dark room where there was a figure in a suit. The man turned around.

"Mac what are you doing here? What am I accused of?"

Mac smiled sympathetically.

"Well the short answer is I am your defense Attorney."

"Attorney? For what I've done no crime?"

"Of course not Love is love but you will have to convince the judge not me of that?"

"What do you mean exactly? What's love got to do with it?"

Mac smiled knowingly. "You are on trial for your illegal relationship with Dr. Soothing Needles. But Don't worry if you can convince the judge that you aren't just taking advantage of her the relationship will be allowed. This is the first case of this to go to trial so you are setting some precedence. Now let's get you your suit you on trial in 40 minutes!

Mac snorted and patted Doc on the back. "Ya did try to murder a guy over wanting to date a pony less then a week ago, so I would not be so surprised about the whole irony thing." The dead man poked his head though the door into the court room. "Now your really going to want to put on a good show, because the judge is NOT all that sympathetic about the whole cross species thing and is a real hard ass on sentencing..."

As Mac lead Doc into the court, G's guts clenched at both the sight of a bloodied and disfigured D sitting at the prosecutors desk, glaring at him with undisguised malice and at the vision of Colgate sitting at the head of the room, her judges wig and robs looking lose and ill fitting, though the shot gun she held instead of a gavel made laughing at the ridicules sight somewhat difficult.

Colgate looked down at G and intoned, "You, Doctor G, have been accused of harboring feelings of affection for a pony, as well as finding her butt attractive and just now thinking about how good her butt looks when I brought it up... and aging now." She squinted at G, "How do you plea?"

* * *

Rarity found herself in a hideously distorted world of shifting colors as she ventured back to the dream office. The wall's cracked and opened, reveling images of faves, places and feelings before closing and reopening a few feet away with another flash of clear image.

Dr. G stared at the bloodied and disfigured prosecutor. "I plead Not Guilty as I have committed no crime. If I say anything else I won't get a fair trial." Dr. G said stepping into the defendant box with Mac ahead of him. Colgate looked angry as Dr. G took his spot opposite of D.

"Is the prosecution ready?" Colgate asked.

Yes Your Honor. D said his voice dark and raspy.

"I take it the defense is ready too. Let this trial begin!" Colgate said tapping the but of the gun like a gavel.

Dr. G wasn't sure exactly what he was arguing because technically he was guilty but he wasn't a criminal or was he? Perhaps this trial would settle this question once and for all.

*Rarity's Dream walk* Rarity stared at the images as she crossed the landscape towards Mac ready's door. "What is ging on here? she asked out loud.

Derpy smiled. "Of course you can sleep with us, Sweetie Belle! There's plenty of room!" Derpy made room as Sweetie Belle and Dinky snuggled up next to her.

* * * * *

﻿Brandon Locked the barn door and sat down by the radio waiting for word from the others. Eventually his eyelids drooped and he drifted off to sleep.

* * * * * ﻿

Brandon found him self in sitting on a stool in a dark room. He could see nothing.

Suddenly, he heard a disembodied voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the main event!" a spotlight shown on Brandon nearly blinding him. "In this corner, weing in at 108 pounds and standing at 5'4'', The Itallion Stallion, Brandon!"

Brandon heard a cheer erupt from a crowd of people that suddenly appeared."Im not Italian!" Brandon shouted towards the annoucer.

Another spotlight lit up. "And in this corner, weighing in at 280 pounds and standing at 5'11", The champion of the world, Rocket!".

The crowd went wild as Rocket stepped out of the shadows. The two combatant met in the center of the ring. Brandon was confused. "What's going on? Why are we fighting?" Brandon asked Rocket.

"I must break you." Growled Rocket. The bell rang and a single punch from Rocket sent Brandon flying back to his corner.

Brandon slumped in the corner defeated until he heard a familiar voice. "Get up, kid! You got clobber this son of a bitch!"

The bell rang again and Brandon approached his opponent again. "Remember, kid. Spleen of the Goat! or something like that."

The match began again. This time the fighters were more equally matched. They traded blows neither giving up. Brandon was begining to tire. He had been hit in the head a few times too many and was afraid he might have brain damage. Brandon wound up one last punch and shouted at the top of his lungs "This one's for you, King Ghidora!"(Yep. definatly got drain bamage.) Rocket fell to the floor. The bell rang. The crowd went wild. Brando's world began to spin as Brandon began to drift away. The last thing Brandon saw before he blacked out was Kat calling out to him in the crowd.